All articles by Linda Stewart
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NewsUnseen allies: symbiotic bacteria help clean wastewater, but there is a catch
Scientists have identified new species of denitrifying endosymbionts in wastewater, highlighting their global prevalence – with an unexpected climate implication.
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NewsGut bacteria from amphibians and reptiles achieve complete tumor elimination
Researchers have discovered that the bacterium Ewingella americana, isolated from the intestines of Japanese tree frogs (Dryophytes japonicus), possesses remarkably potent anticancer activity.
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NewsHidden viruses in wastewater treatment may shape public health risks, study finds
A new study reveals that viral communities in wastewater treatment plants are far more complex and influential than previously recognized, with implications for water safety, antibiotic resistance, and how treatment performance is monitored.
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NewsWho is more likely to get long COVID?
Scientists have identified the key genetic drivers behind long COVID, revealing why some people continue to experience debilitating symptoms long after their initial infection.
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NewsStudy uncovers new drug target for huge class of viruses
A study reveals how enteroviruses—including pathogens that cause polio, encephalitis, myocarditis, and the common cold—initiate replication by hijacking host-cell machinery.
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NewsA fatal mix-up: How certain gut bacteria drive multiple sclerosis
If gut bacteria are too similar to the protective layer of nerves, they can misdirect the immune system and cause it to attack its own nervous system. This mechanism can accelerate the progression of multiple sclerosis.
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NewsOroya fever: Elucidation of disease mechanism opens possibility for novel therapy
An international research team has generated and analyzed more than 1,700 genetic variants of the pathogen that causes Oroya fever, identifying two proteins that Bartonella requires for the destruction of red blood cells.
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NewsNew method means contaminated bathing water easier to detect
A new method can provide both faster and more complete answers on whether the water is safe for swimming or not. The innovation has been successfully tested in Helsingborg, where the response time has been reduced from several days to just a few hours.
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NewsResearchers see dramatic drop in HIV-infected immune cells in patient after cancer treatment received
Researchers report they may have taken an early step toward a more practical HIV cure. They focused on a patient undergoing cancer treatment and also living with HIV, who after receiving chemotherapy, had a significant reduction in the number of CD4+ T immune cells that contained an HIV provirus.
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NewsCOVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces risk to pregnant women and baby
Pregnant women who received a COVID-19 vaccine were far less likely to experience severe illness or deliver their babies prematurely, according to a major new study.
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NewsStrategic advancement of second-generation fungal vaccine VXV-01 through Phase 1 trials
The Lundquist Institute (TLI) and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences (Vitalex) have announced that the second-generation fungal vaccine candidate known as VXV‑01 is poised to move forward in development up to and including Phase 1 clinical evaluation.
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NewsA testing paradox for sexually transmitted infections
Surveillance evidence shows an increase in people infected with other STIs after initiating PrEP. A new study provides a counterintuitive explanation revealing a testing paradox: even when the observed cases increase, the true numbers of STIs can decrease.
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NewsModulating key interaction prevents virus from entering cells
Researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness. They were able to find and block an important interaction at the molecular level that allows the herpes virus to enter cells.
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NewsImmune system keeps mucosal fungi in check
Researchers investigating the mechanisms that keep the fungus under control on our mucosa shed light on how homeostasis is maintained through the fine-tuned interplay between Candida albicans and the epithelial barrier on the one hand, and the immune system on the other hand.
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NewsStreptococcus suis serotype 2 collagenase-like protease promotes meningitis by increasing blood-brain barrier permeability
Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes meningitis in humans and pigs. Researchers have investigated the role and mechanism of the SS2 Clp in promoting the passage of the bacterium across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
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NewsMutated baker’s yeast at the forefront of petroleum substitute tech
Researchers engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) introduced mutations into the genomic DNA. The researchers engineered four altered strains and subjected them to ethanol, heat, and low pH stressors.
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NewsSmarter tools for peering into the microscopic world
In a pair of new studies, researchers introduce powerful tools that make it easier, more accurate and more scalable to figure out how microbes are related. One tool improves how scientists build microbial family trees. The other provides a software foundation used worldwide to analyze biological data.
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NewsHarmless Klebsiella strain shows powerful protection against gut infections in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) model
A new study demonstrates that a harmless strain of Klebsiella can eliminate infections and reduce gut inflammation in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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NewsSwedish freshwater bacteria give new insights into bacterial evolution
Researchers analyzing the DNA of all known Caulobacterales species, including newly collected samples from Swedish and Finnish forest lakes, discovered that several freshwater species lacked more than a hundred genes typically linked to the group’s complex lifecycle.
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NewsNovel kirkovirus may be associated with colitis in horses
In a pilot study, researchers have found a novel kirkovirus that may be associated with colitis – and potentially small colon impactions – in horses. The study could offer a route to new therapies for horses with colitis symptoms from unknown causes.